James Argent has spoken out about his fight with drug addiction, admitting: ‘I battled with it for years.’

Former The Only Way Is Essex star James, 35, recalled the tough memories of his troubled past this weekend but insisted he was now clean, sober and in a much better place.

He told Nana Akua on GB News: ‘I battled with that for a number of years. But I’ve got through it and I’m doing alright. I’m doing well. I’m clean, sober, and I have been for a long time now.’

James also spoke candidly about his struggle with his weight which was heightened during the coronavirus lockdown.

He underwent a gastric sleeve operation last year and has shed an impressive 14 stone since.

Candid chat: James Argent, 35, has spoken out about his fight with drug addiction, admitting: ‘I battled with it for years’

Honest: The former TOWIE star, who has lost 14 stone in recent months, recalled the tough memories of his troubled past this weekend but insists he is now in a much better place (pictured in 2021)

He said: ‘I kind of didn’t really have a very good routine and structure and definitely used food to balance that out when I wanted comfort. Being locked down for me wasn’t easy. 

‘You know some people really got into their exercise and they’d be doing at home workouts while other people really quite struggled.’

Revealing how his relationship with food has played out over the years, he continued: ‘I had a bad relationship with food. I would either do no exercise at all and binge eat or I would starve myself and train three times a day. 

‘I was either morbidly obese or slim. I was constantly yo-yo ing. 

‘I now have a great relationship with food and with exercise and I have got the balance right. I am proud of what I have achieved.’

Revealing how professional boxer Tyson Fury was his inspiration, he said: ‘Not all stories have to end in tragedy. Some people can turn things around. 

‘I was heavily inspired by Tyson Fury. He’s a friend of mine. He’s someone who struggled. 

‘He managed to turn his life around and become a World Champion. That’s the ultimate comeback story. He’s amazing.’

On the up: He told Nana Akua (left) on GB News : ‘I battled with that for a number of years. But I’ve got through it and I’m doing alright. I’m doing well’

James said he was enjoying his current job – working as a wedding singer with his group, The Arge Band. 

He said: ‘I’ve always wanted to be a wedding singer. If people ask me what I do now I don’t say reality TV star, I say wedding singer.’

James is now coupled-up with girlfriend Stella Turian, who he enjoyed a trip to Venice, Italy with last month.

And he recently gushed over new girlfriend Stella, 18, and revealed that he wooed her with Mafia movies in his home cinema.

The reality star also recalled how they ‘serenaded each other’ when they first met by chance at a restaurant in Greece in June, before pursuing a romantic relationship months later.

Speaking to The Sun, he confessed: ‘I feel very lucky, sometimes I have to pinch myself to remind myself this is all really happening.’

As well as being genetically blessed, the beauty is fluent in four languages, while the TOWIE star is working hard on improving his Italian.

Supportive pals: James, who works as a wedding singer with The Arge Band, credits professional boxer Tyson Fury (left) with inspiring him to lose weight

Arg also told how he wooed his new girlfriend, revealing: ‘I’m lucky enough to have a home cinema — there have to be some perks to being in showbiz — and I’m obsessed with Mafia films, so I made her watch Goodfellas and some Sopranos and Casino too.’

The reality star – who’s trouble past is widely documented – insisted he has been completely up front with Stella about the ‘ups and downs’ he’s had.

He gushed: ‘We’ve got an amazing connection, she is extremely supportive, and she knows everything there is to know about me.’

Arg met Stella by chance at a swanky restaurant called Nammos, while in Mykonos, Greece in June for a friend’s wedding,

He said they ‘serenaded each other’ as he reminisced of how he showed her clips of himself singing Rat Pack songs, while she showed him clips of her singing Italian love songs.

The pair then exchanged numbers, and Arg explained how after performing gigs they’d send each other videos of themselves singing, and added how Stella gave his mic skills ‘her seal of approval’.

Romance: James is now coupled-up with girlfriend Stella Turian, who he enjoyed a trip to Venice, Italy with last month

Despite meeting just once in Mykonos, they then spent the summer messaging and FaceTiming.

Arg recalled how he eventually plucked up the courage to fly to Italy in September to see her and see if there was a romance to be had.

The TOWIE star confessed to being ‘incredibly ­nervous’ for fear that when they saw each other again, there might not be a romantic connection.

But thankfully, the second their eyes met again, he gushed over how they felt ‘an amazing link’ which has continued to develop.

What it took to charm her: He recently gushed over new girlfriend Stella, 18, and revealed that he wooed her with Mafia movies in his home cinema